Irreversible
by HeartlessVampireGirl
Summary: Sophie wasn't the only one to get changed by the Witch of the Waste and she wasn't the only one to travel to Howl's castle either. No, there was another girl in this story, Sophie's sister, Verity, who got caught up in this fantastical tale and fell in love with the mysterious wizard named Howl. HowlXOC (NO SOPHIEXHOWL, in any way!) Follows the movie (almost) exactly!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, I know the poll result was that I would write a Rudolph (Little Vampire) love story, but I had already had this written up and I haven't posted anything in forever, so I'm posting this. Yes, it does follow the movie (Which is awesome!) exactly, with only a few (*cough*Major*cough*) plot twists, but I hope at least some people like it!**

**Please leave reviews (constructive criticism please) and thanks for picking this story to read. (Also excuse any errors I have accidentally missed.)**

**Chapter 1**

I walked down the stairs just as Sophie pulled her hat over her head, grimacing in disgust. "Where are you going?" I asked my fraternal twin (she was older by only a few minutes).

"Just to the bakery to visit Lettie. Do you want to come?" Sophie asked, turning to look at me. I grinned wide and raced back up the stairs to put on a jacket. As soon as I was ready we left, locking the door to the hat shop and catching the tram just before it left. Crowds were gathering for the May Day parade with planes and banners flying overhead.

"We'd better take the back way," I suggested, noticing the group of people blocking the usual way. "Do you still have the instructions?" I asked.

"Of course I do!" She said with a small smile, pulling out the small sheet of paper and leading me into the alleyway. Sophie gasped when she saw a soldier guarding the guns and soldier provisions, making him look up at us sternly as my sister pulled me away faster. We made another turn and I peeked over her shoulder to see if we were actually going the right way. She seemed puzzled. Sophie came to a sudden stop, making me lightly bump into her as I looked up and scowled, seeing a stray soldier blocking our way.

"Hey. Looks like a few little mice have lost their way." He said with a grin, leaning his elbow against the wall as his hand held his head. Sophie stepped back and stuttered a reply.

"Oh, no, we're not lost." She said, shaking her head quickly as she reached back to grasp my hand.

"These little mice look thirsty. We should take them for a cup of tea. Look, there's one for both of us," he said, blocking our way as Sophie tried to pull me past, turning at look at the other soldier who appeared.

"No thanks, our sister is expecting us." Sophie said, fearful eyes hidden under her hat. My free hand was clenched as my face burned with anger.

"They're pretty cute for mice," the new soldier said, peeking under my sisters hat and glancing at me with a leer, mustache twitching. I stepped forward, starting to raise my fists, but Sophie's look stopped me just in time.

"How old are you anyway? You live around here?" The first asked us.

"Leave us alone," Sophie said, stepping back.

"You see? Your mustache scares all the girls," the blonde teased his friend.

"So? She's even cuter when she's scared." He commented, looking directly at Sophie but speaking like she wasn't even there.

"If you even think of touching her–" I started, only to get cut off as a large hand was placed on my shoulder. I tensed slightly.

"There you are, sweetheart. Sorry I'm late. I was looking everywhere for you. Are you and your sister ready to go?" A man said smoothly. I looked up to see a gorgeous man with shoulder-length blonde hair with messy bangs, who's red and gray jacket hung haphazardly on his shoulders. I glanced at my sister to see her frozen in fear, glancing between the guards and the man who held me to see who was more danger to us.

"Hey, we're busy here," the first guard snapped as the other straightened up.

"Are you really? It looked to me like the two of you were just leaving," the new male said and I could _hear_ the grin in his voice. With a flick of his finger, the two guards straightened forcefully and walked away without control of their own bodies. Both my sister and I glanced back curiously, then our attention was brought back to the stranger that saved us, and who still had his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't hold it against them," he said with a wink, revealing his bright blue eyes and a crooked grin. "They're actually not all that bad. Where to? I'll be your escort this evening." He said.

"Maybe we don't need one," I snapped, ignoring Sophie's warning look. The man chuckled and looked to my sister without releasing me.

"Oh, we're, um, just going to the bakery," she stuttered as she gazed up at him, not thinking he would have asked her.

"Don't get alarmed, but I'm being followed. Act normal." He said to the both of us as he moved his hand to let me hold his arm as Sophie took his other side, clutching her free hand to her chest tightly. I was giving my sister the evils before we started walking. Why did we have to get involved with him? Oh, right, because Sophie thought we could at least do this because he saved us. Always the nice one. His hair fluttered in the wind as his blue jewel pendant swung from side to side on his white shirt. Horrible sounds were starting to come from behind us.

"Sorry. Looks like you two are involved," he said as Sophie and I gasped, clutching his arm tighter as black blobs with hats appeared further down the back street. "This way." He said lowly, grin rising on his face as if he was having fun, pulling us quickly around the corner as the monsters chased after us. "Hold on." He advised us both as more blobs appeared in front of us, and suddenly his arms slipped from our arms to wrap around our waists as we took to the sky.

"Now, straighten your legs and start walking." He said, moving his hands back to our own as he helped us walk across the sky. We gaped astonished, seeing all the people below. "See, not so hard, is it?" He laughed and commented on us being naturals as we both grinned at him. We soon were placed gently on the second floor balcony of the bakery with sighs from both of us.

"I'll make sure to draw them off," he said, slowly letting go of Sophie's hand but still holding on to my own. "But wait a bit before you head back outside," he said, glancing at my sister to make sure the message got to her, before his gaze was back on mine.

"Ok," I said, dazed, as he finally let my hand go.

"That's my girl," he said with a grin before he flew back and floated quickly back to the ground. Sophie and I gasped, leaning over the railing, but he had already disappeared.

"'My girl', huh?" Sophie said with a slight grin and I blushed deeply.

"Shut up!" I snapped embarrassed. "Do you think that actually just happened?" I asked her. "It felt like a dream."

"How else would we be up here?" She asked with a small shrug moving us inside to stare out the window, just as our younger sister Lettie ran down the hall, holding her dress.

"Sophie? Verity?" She asked, moving to clutch Sophie's hand before taking one of my own. "What's going on? Someone just told me you two floated down onto our balcony." She stated worried and Sophie's eyes widened.

"So that did happen. It wasn't a dream," she stated awed.

"And here I thought you were so sure of yourself only a few moments ago," I said sourly to her. Lettie turned to me confused then turned back to the only sibling that would actually give her answers.

"Lettie, would you like to use my office?" A man asked behind us.

"I should really get back to work. Thank you, though," my sister said with a cheerful wave as a door closed. She led us down into kitchens and Sophie explained on the way. Lettie sat us down on some small piles of crates and commented on what she heard.

"Wow. He must have been a wizard then."

"But he was so kind to us. And he seemed to have taking a liking to Verity here," Sophie said, gesturing to me as Lettie whipped around, face worried.

"He rescued us, Lettie." I supplied, turning away with a slight blush.

"Of course he did. He was trying to steal your heart!" She exclaimed, leaning forward. "You are so lucky, Verity. If that wizard were Howl he would have eaten it. That goes for you too, Sophie." Lettie said, turning back to face the oldest sibling.

"No, he wouldn't." I said, looking up at Lettie and letting Sophie continue.

"Howl only does that to beautiful girls."

"Don't give me that," Lettie said with a disapproving scoff, moving a hand to her hip. "You both need to be more careful. It's dangerous out there. Even the Witch of the Waste is back on the prowl," she said, but both Sophie and I were lost in our thoughts. "Are you listening?" She asked us, groaning when we asked what she said.

"Lettie, the chocolate eclairs are done." A man told her, moving one of the crates and sticking his head through to talk to her.

"Ok. I'll be right there." She said with a smile that remained even after he thanked her and slid the box back into place. I snapped myself out of my thoughts for just a moment to nudge her in the side, winking at her teasingly.

"Oh, be quiet you!" She said with a giggle, pulling me up off my seat.

"All right. We better get going then," Sophie said to both Lettie and I. "I just wanted to make sure that you were doing ok," she told Lettie. I nodded, hugging my other sister as Sophie put on her hat then hugged Lettie herself. She led us to the delivery door just as a man with a sack of flour over his shoulder walked though, greeting my sister cheerfully.

"Now Sophie, do you and Verity really want to spend the rest of your lives in that hat shop?" She asked us seriously.

"I do the advertising while Sophie makes the hat. We're fine with it." I told her with a smile.

"The shop was just so important to Father. And we're the eldest, we don't mind." Soph said with a small smile.

"I'm not asking what Father would have wanted. I want to know what you want."

"Well..." I started as both Lettie and Sophie turned to me, but I was cut off by the delivery man walking out again and saying his farewells, reminding me that we had to be going before the last tram left. "We'd better be going," I told them, stepping away with Sophie.

"It's your life, Verity, Sophie. Do something for yourself for once."

"Bye, Lettie." We twins said together with a backwards wave, heading back to the tram station and catching it just before it left. I stared back at the city, wondering what happened to the wizard, as Sophie stared at me.

Sophie used the key to get us back into the hat shop, locking the door behind her once we were inside before placing the keys back in her pocket. I looked in the mirror and scowled at my unruly, curly brown hair, bright green eyes glaring back at me. My pale skin was even paler in the gray dress once I slid my white jacket off, making me seem almost sickly. The bell rang as the door opened as soon I moved behind the counter to blow out the light Sophie lit, staying my hand. A larger woman in all black stepped inside, looking around with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, but the shop's closed now, ma'am." Sophie spoke up, her hat still in hand. "I could have sworn I locked that door. Must have forgotten." I know she locked the door, so how did the woman get inside? I had a very bad feeling about this.

The woman stepped inside further. "What a tacky shop. I've never seen such tacky little hats." I winced as Sophie stiffened beside me, knowing she was offended since she had made quite a few of the hats herself. "Yet you two are by far the tackiest things here." I clenched my hands and grit my teeth, knowing Sophie wouldn't want me to be rude to a customer, no matter how rude she was, which was why I was so surprised when Sophie herself stomped across the room and held open the door for the lady.

"I'm afraid you'll have to leave now. The door's over here, ma'am. We're closed." My sister said firmly. I cracked a grin.

"Standing up to the Witch of the Waste, that's plucky." The woman said as both Sophie and I gasped.

"The Witch of the Waste?" Sophie asked fearfully and two fully clothed blob men (like the ones from earlier) appeared in the doorway. The witch turned transparent and flew through a hunched over Sophie.

"Sophie!" I called out worried as the Witch stopped in the doorway.

"The best part of that spell is you can't tell anyone about it." She said with a smirk as I ran out from behind the counter to Sophie. "Oh, can't forget the sister, can I?" She asked herself, then pointed a finger at me and a red lightning bolt shot from her finger and struck me in the chest. "Well, you're lucky you can talk at all, aren't you?" She hummed from above me as my eyes stayed shut. "My regards to Howl." She said before she finally left, door swinging closed behind her.

When I finally opened my eyes, I saw Sophie's hat directly in front of my face as I sat on all fours. I looked up at Sophie to see her as big as a giant and as old as a 90-year-old woman. I gasped as her joints creaked as she bent to pick up her hat, noticing me.

"V-Verity?!" She asked shocked and I looked at her confused.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked worried.

"Y-You're a cat!" She gasped, then noticed her old, wrinkly hand and started panicking, hobbling to the mirror. I looked down at myself and noticed my arms covered with fur. I shrieked and raced to the mirror, hopping up onto the desk easily.

"I'm a cat!?" I asked, seeing the cat's white mouth move, whiskers twitching. I hopped off and walked out to the courtyard where Sophie was pacing, making plans for us to leave the next morning.

I'm a cat!

**A/N: So, I hope you guys liked the beginning. Was it new enough? I don't know how I came up with the idea (or the name, so don't ask), but I really liked the thought of it. I'll update next week (probably Friday)! Yes, the picture for the story does give you a hint (and that's what I imagined her to look like as a cat.)**

**See you next week!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So, I just realized I forgot to do this for the last chapter but...**

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own _Howl's Moving Castle_ (either version), though I _really_ wish I did. I also wish that Howl was real, but sadly that won't happen either.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

I sat in my bed curled up in my covers, until I heard footsteps walking up the stairs and Mother calling our name. I had forgotten she was coming home today.

"Sophie? Verity?" She pounded on our door, calling our names again when she tried to open it, only to find it locked.

"Don't come in here," Sophie called to her. "I've got a bad cold. I don't want you to catch it."

"You sound ghastly, like some 90-year-old woman. What is Verity doing then?"

"I'm taking care of her, mother. I think I'm already coming down with it though," I said, faking a sneeze.

"I'll just stay in bed all day, so you go on." Sophie told her, glancing at me.

"Well... If you insist." She said hesitantly and we heard her heels clicking as she walked down the hallway and down the steps.

"Up we go," Sophie muttered to herself as she pulled herself up from her bed. I stared at her sorrowfully. "This isn't so bad, now, is it? You're still in pretty good shape and your clothes finally suit you." She tried to cheer herself up as she stood hunched.

"We can't stay here, Soph. They'll get suspicious." I told her softly and she turned to look at my cat form sadly.

"I know." She stated, grabbing a shawl, her hat, and packed a small bag of extra clothes.

"Hey, at least I don't have to worry about clothes!" I said cheerfully. She grinned at me as we walked side by side down the stairs until I paused.

"What are you doing? We'll be caught!" She hissed as I looked down through the spindles on the higher stairs.

"I wonder if I can jump this and survive. Cats always land on their feet, don't they?" I asked her and she paled drastically.

"Don't you dare, Veri. You're not exactly a normal cat, are you?" She warned and I shrugged the best I could, following her the rest of the way down the stairs.

"Guess you're right." She stuffed cheese and bread in her bag from the kitchen and led us out the back door, holding it open for me then closing it behind her. The men on the street were looking at a newspaper, talking about how the other kingdom's prince was missing and a war was starting because they blamed us. Sophie walked across the bridge behind our shop just as a train passed through. I paused on the other side to wait until the train and smoked had passed before catching up with her on the other side.

"Excuse me, could you use some help?" I heard a young man ask Sophie on the other side as she coughed.

"I'll be fine, but thanks for offering. That was really kind," she mused to herself as I braved the smoke and carefully walked through, holding my breath because of my new heightened senses. Sophie asked a man in a cart if she could ride with them and I sprinted to the back as soon as he said there was room, wanting to rest my paws as Sophie quickly joined me. I giggled at her face as the cart of hay started moving.

"You're crazy if you do this, Grandma!" The man yelled once we stopped at the border to the Wastes. "There's nothing but witches and wizards out there!"

"Which is exactly what we need," I muttered to myself as Sophie yelled back to him.

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

"She's going to the Wastes by herself?" A woman asked the man from the house, voice echoing back to me. I stiffened and my nose tilted into the air. Nice to know a cat was nobody.

"Says she's looking for her younger sister." He said back. Sophie and I continued on our trek, her heavily breathing as I chased after a butterfly. Stupid cat instincts. We stopped for lunch and I ate some cheese and a slice of bread out of Sophie's hand. I finished quickly, then moved to play in the grass, pouncing on the grasshopper that leaped around.

"I'll never get there with these legs," she mumbled to herself, thinking I wouldn't hear her. "At least my teeth haven't fallen out yet." I watched as she looked to her side and paused, eyes widening before she sat he bag and food down. I followed her gaze to see a large branch poking out of a bush, which was strange because there were no trees nearby.

"That would make a nice cane," she commented, standing up with a crack of her back. I winced at the noise then perched on a rock to watch. She struggled to pull it out of the bush, tail flicking curiously. Well, it's not like I could help her. She finally pulled it out and shrunk back when the stick stood at full height, leaves falling off.

"A scarecrow?" I asked confused and she turned to look at me surprised. "How on earth is it standing on its own?" She shrugged, turning back to look at it.

"You're head's a turnip. I've always hated turnips, ever since I was little." I nodded my head, knowing she was speaking the truth. ...But she was still talking to a scarecrow. "At least you're not upside down now. So long. Come on, Verity. Let's get moving." She told me.

We continued our way up the rocky path. "It's too cold." Sophie muttered to me, shawl clutched tight around her hunched, shaking shoulders. "And I can still see the town. We've barely moved."

"At least we've gotten somewhere." I stated optimistically. Tapping came from behind us and Sophie stopped. I hopped up on another large stone to see the scarecrow moving on its own, hopping after us with something on its arm.

"Go away! Quit following us! There's no need to thank me, you don't owe me a thing." She said, trying to shoo it away but it only hopped closer. "I'm sure you have some kind of spell on you, and we've had more than enough of witches and spells." It stopped for a moment, looking at Sophie from a yard or two away. "So, just go find some field and stand in it!"

She started walking again but I waited, watching amused as the scarecrow hopped closer and dropped a cane in front of her. She opened her closed eyes hesitantly, then gaped at the gift. "Thank you, this cane is perfect, it's just what I need. If you'd like to do me one more favor, you could run off and find us a place to stay." She called to him and I chuckled as he turned on... stick, hopping off in the other direction. She waved the cane in the air then started off again, chuckling. "I seem to have become quite cunning in my old age."

I quickly caught up to walk beside her, staring up at her until she looked down at me. "What?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"And you were teasing me for the wizard? At least I don't have a scarecrow stalking me," I laughed as she glared at me, threatening to whack me with her new stick. A battleship roared above us before a cold wind blew, making me shiver even with fur.

Sophie pulled her shawl even tighter around her. "Why do you get so cold when you're old? I'm fatter than ever, yet the wind blows right through me." She complained as I slunk close to her heels, hopeful for some body heat. She sat on the ground as I curled in her lap, letting her stroke my fur and purring as she breathed heavily once again. Then she sniffed the air.

"Someone's got a fire going. Maybe there's a cabin nearby." She said, standing up again and starting her walk, only to freeze when a large, moving metal structure hissed and walked closer to us. My eyes widened and I mewed in fear, hiding behind Sophie's legs. Howl's castle. The scarecrow came hoping along beside it.

"You turnip-head! That's Howl's castle! That is not what I meant when I asked for a place to stay." Soph yelled at him.

"Well, you didn't really specify on the type of place, so it is technically your fault. He did what you wanted." I told her smartly, cowing under her glare. The metal growled as it pulled to a stop, steam hissing around us as it rested.

"Look at that. They call this a castle?" Sophie asked just before the structure started moving again. Turnip-head hopped after it, and I spotted a doorway. I sprinted after the castle, leaping and landing easily onto the stone porch as I waited anxiously for Sophie.

"Is that a way in?" She asked, not catching on yet. She raced after the fast moving castle almost falling onto her face when she tripped. "Slow down! For Heaven's sake! Make up your mind. Are you gonna let me in or not?" She asked, clutching onto the railing as she ran after it. The castle scooped her up, making her loose her shawl as the scarecrow went after it.

She cracked open the door and I raced inside, feeling the warmth of the fire from the bottom of the steps. "It's nice and warm in there, so I'm going in. Oh, my shawl, thank you. I'm sure Howl won't eat the heart of a shriveled, old lady like me. It's been a pleasure meeting you. Even if you are my least favorite vegetable. Take care, Turnip-head," she told the scarecrow before coming inside with the shawl in hand, closing the door behind her.

She walked up the stairs carefully as I practically strutted up them fearlessly. I don't think Howl would mind a cat wandering around like he would an old lady, but it would still be best not to touch anything. I hopped up on the hearth where a fire was going, curling up as close to the heat as I could without getting burnt. Sophie threw two more logs onto the flame before settling back into the chair to warm her hands.

"What a dump. When I think castle, this is not what I picture." She stated, looking at the mess I couldn't even begin to describe that laid all around the room.

"Well, we haven't actually seen the inside of a castle, so we can't really say anything," I told her simply, glad she was too tired to even glared at me.

"Well, one thing nice about getting old is nothing frightens you." She said, slinking further into the seat and sighing as she closed her eyes.

"I don't envy you, lady. That is one bad curse. Curses are tough. You're gonna have a very hard time getting rid of that one," a voice suddenly came from no where and I shot up with a hiss, twirling around confused as I looked for the 'enemy'. "Settle down, kitty-cat. You've got an even worse one." I looked to the fire, stiffening up when I saw eyes staring at me.

"The fire spoke!" Sophie said stunned, eyes wide and body stiff.

"Let me guess, the curses won't allow either of you two to talk about it, right?" He asked us.

"I don't exactly know, she never told me." I said. Hey, we were in a wizard's castle, anything can happen, right?

"'She'?" The fire asked but Sophie spoke up instead, still in a state of shock.

"Are you Howl?" She questioned.

"No, I'm an extremely powerful fire demon named Calcifer." He said, flame flaring from his mouth. "I just like to do that once in a while." He said after I jumped back with another hiss.

"A fire demon. Well, then you should be able to break my curse. Both of our curses." Sophie said.

"Maybe, maybe not," he said, holding fire arms up like a shrug. "Listen, if the both of you can find a way to break the spell that's on me, then I'll break the spell that's on you, you got it?" Calcifer told Sophie.

"Only her spell?" I asked suspiciously. He turned to me with a frown.

"Yeah, kid. I will try to break your spell, but I don't think it'll do much good. You still be stuck turning into a cat at times, or you'd have cat features. Not really a full-breakage spell."

"If you're a demon, how do we know we can trust you," Sophie asked, tearing her sorry gaze from me. "You promise to help me if I help you?"

"I don't know, lady. Demons don't make promises."

"No, they make contracts or deals. Give and you receive," I said suddenly, remembering what I had heard once. I grinned when the fire demon winked at me with a nod.

"You're a natural. You should have this figured out in no time at all." He told me.

"Go find someone else," Sophie stated with a frown.

"Come on! You should feel sorry for me!" He cried out, waving his arms wildly around then clasping them together pleadingly. "That _spell_ keeps me stuck in this castle, and Howl treats me like I'm his slave. It burns me up. You've got to keep the water hot, the rooms warm, keep the castle moving." He ranted as Sophie started to doze off.

"Oh, that's rough," she muttered.

"Come on, you ever try to move a castle? If you can figure out how to break this thing I'm in with Howl, then you can break my spell," he said, crackling. "After that, I can easily break the spell that's on you." He tried to convince Sophie. I had already decided to help, knowing the even being human some of the time was better than never being human again.

"All right, it's a deal," she said before falling asleep with a snore. I giggled as Calcifer's jaw dropped.

"Hey, lady? Lady? Hello? Lady? Hello?" He called out to her, rising in his grate to get a better look at her. "Hey, hey, hey! Lady? Lady? Hey, let me get over there." He tried to reach over to her and I laughed more. "Some big help you're gonna be. Is she usually like this?"

"More so because we've walked from the nearby town and she was changed into an old lady." I stated. "Just like I was turned into a cat."

"Can you say who?" He asked curiously.

"The Witch of the Waste. Hm, that curious. I wonder why she only made Sophie not able to talk about it," I questioned. The fire demon shrugged. "So, how long have you been with Howl?" I asked and he grinned.

"Since he was a kid." I nodded.

"Now, are you allowed to tell me what your contract was about?" I asked him and wasn't very disappointed when he shook his head.

"Sorry, kid. You'll have to figure that one out on your own." I sighed and hopped down from the hearth, hopping up on the couch and sneezing when dust flew into my face. I settled down for the night, hoping I figure this puzzle out soon so at least Sophie would be free of her curse.

* * *

**A/N: Wow, this is my first time updating from school (Shh...Don't tell ;D) I'm so tired today, but at least it's a Friday! Like I told you, I updated on a Friday! And I will be updating again next either Thursday or Friday (b/c I'm planning to skip on Friday *crosses fingers*) Well, see ya!**

**Oh! And thank you for deciding to read this! I'm so glad so many people (like, 4) have already reviewed/favorited/followed this story already! It makes me so happy! Honestly, the LoTR story that I have on my profile wasn't reviewed so quickly!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: SURPRISE! Another chapter! I'm giving this to you several days early because I felt generous (Readers, say thank you to the Reviewers/Followers/Favoriters/Now-I'm-Just-Making -Up-Worders! It's all thanks to them!)**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

I awoke the next morning to pounding on the door, waking just before Sophie. Footsteps pounded on the stairs and I watched a kid appear as Sophie pretended to be asleep.

"Hey, who's this lady?" The kid asked.

"Porthaven door." Calcifer stated, ignoring the kid's question.

"How'd she get in here?" I cocked my head curiously as the kid pulled a cloak from under the mess, pulling the hood over his head as a gray beard appeared. "Stand by." He said in a deeper voice as he switched the color on the door to blue from green and light outside poured in the window above the door. The kid opened the door and it revealed a man in a black suit and a sash with a man in blue behind him. "Mr. Mayor, good day." He spoke in a rougher voice.

"Good afternoon, sir. Would the great Wizard Jenkins be at home?"

"I am afraid that my master is out at the moment. I speak for him in his absence." The boy in disguise told him as I jumped off the sofa and moved towards the stairs curiously, just as Sophie 'woke up'.

"An invitation from His Majesty the King. The time for war is upon us. His Majesty requires that every witch and wizard aid our homeland. Wizard Jenkins must report to the palace immediately. That is all." The Mayor finished. Sophie fed Calcifer some logs as she muttered to herself.

"War... I can't believe it's come to this." She said, warming her hands.

"And what do you think you're doing here, Grandma?" The kid asked, still in his cloak.

"Calcifer said that we can come in," Sophie said.

"'We'?" The kid asked, looking around for another human until his gaze landed on me. "A cat?" He questioned.

"You've got a problem with that?" I asked suddenly and he yelled out, stumbling back. "You'd think that because you have a talking fire, you wouldn't be frightened by a talking cat," I said to Calcifer, jumping onto the table. "Guess not." The fire chuckled.

"Ho-How? How is that cat talking? Master Howl never told me animals can talk!" He exclaimed.

"They can when they were once human," I told him simply. His eyes widened then they softened, him muttering an apology that I waved off. Thankfully, Calcifer spoke up before an awkward silence began.

"I did not tell them they could come in. They just wandered in here from the Wastes."

"They're from the Wastes?" The kid asked in his normal voice, pulling the hood down. "How do we know that she's not a witch?" He asked, gesturing to Sophie.

"And what? I couldn't be?" I snapped, ignoring my sister's raised eyebrow.

"Do you really think I'd let a witch in here?" He asked as Sophie chuckled. The doorbell rang and everyone turned to look. "Porthaven door again!"

"Must be a customer," the boy said, slamming the letter he received from the Porthaven Mayor inside a large, dusty book, then put up his cloak hood again to answer the door. "Stand by." He opened the door to reveal a little girl this time. "Yes, my dear child?"

"My mom sent me to pick up a spell." She told him.

"Ah, yes, do come in." He said, letting her in and closing the door behind him. "Just keep quiet and don't cause any trouble, Grandma." He hissed at Sophie, jerking his hand away as I clawed at him for talking to my sister that way. The little girl stared at Sophie unabashed as my sister crossed the room to peek out the window. I followed her, jumping down from the table then up to the window sill.

"It's not the Wastes." She pointed out to me surprised. I nodded my head.

"Excuse me, Granny, are you a witch too?" The little girl asked Sophie.

"That's right. I'm the scariest witch of them all." She said with playful narrowed eyes. I rolled my own blue-green orbs and batted her face with my tail as soon as she turned around, making her sputter.

"Dust your ship with this powder and the winds will favor it," the boy said, handing the little girl a paper bag. She nodded and payed him, thanking him as she walked down the steps. Sophie walked over to the top of the stairs.

"Quit telling lies to our customers," the boy told her in his normal voice as soon as the door closed behind the little girl.

"What about you?" My sibling asked as he pulled out a blue pouch. "You're wearing a disguise."

"I have to. I'm practicing my magic," he defended himself, removing the cloak hood just as the doorbell rang once again.

"It's the Kingsbury door!" Calcifer called out. I leaned out a bit to see the kid, with his hood up, twist the knob until the dial above the door was red after saying "Stand by" once more before opening the door. I looked out the window again and gasped when I saw the large buildings and airplanes instead of the seaside and seagulls.

"Good day. Would this be the residence of the great Wizard Pendragon?" A man asked as the boy confirmed his question. "I bear an invitation from His Majesty the King. Please inform Mr. Pendragon that all witches and wizards are required to report for duty at the palace." The man explained as Sophie made her way down the stairs.

"I will inform him right away." I heard the boy said then Sophie gasped and said that it was the royal city. "Move it, Grandma, or you'll loose your nose." He said then shut the door as soon as Sophie was inside. "And stop wandering around!" I heard her cackle lowly and shivered, knowing she was going to get someone mad.

She switched the dial to green and I looked out the window to see the Wastes. With a sigh, I jumped down from the window, knowing where the other two went, though I was curious about the black dial. She went to Porthaven again before the boy stopped her.

"Leave it alone, Grandma. I'm getting angry."

"This is a magic house, isn't it?" She asked and even I had to roll my eyes. "So tell me, where does the black one lead?" She asked curiously and I flicked my ear towards them to listen better.

"Only Master Howl knows that." The boy said, removing his head from the large between the iron railings. "I need some breakfast. I'm starved." He stated, pulling out a plate of cheese off the table and a bag of bread from a drawer.

"Don't you want to have some bacon and eggs?" Sophie asked, pulling a covered plate of dried bacon towards her.

"Yeah, but we can't use the fire. Master Howl's not here," the kid said, pushing things off the table and out of the way so he could sit down. Sophie chuckled and grabbed a skillet, stating that she could cook. "It doesn't matter. Calcifer only obeys Master Howl." I jumped back on the hearth.

"Oh, is that another part of the contract?" I whispered, smirking at the look Calcifer sent me.

"That's right, lady. I'm not taking orders from you." Calcifer said then blew a raspberry as Sophie picked up her fallen hat, completely ignoring the fire demon. I chuckled.

"All right, Calcifer. Let's get cooking." Soph said, pulling up the shawl so it wouldn't accidentally get in the flames.

"I don't cook! I'm a scary and powerful fire demon!" He flared up angrily than stuck out his tongue at her.

"Calcifer." I said darkly and he turned to me. "I was turned into a cat two days ago, I am tired, I am hungry, and I want some bacon and eggs. I will stay here and bug you until I turn how to turn back myself because I will not help you until you cook breakfast!" I roared, advancing on him with venomous eyes until he had shrunken down to a tiny spark.

"Ok." He whispered in a squeaky voice.

"You never want to get on the bad side of Verity," Sophie advised the kid as the put a piece of bacon on the pan and placed it over the now larger flame. He tried to fight it, but then saw me and let it be. "That's right. That's a good fire. Thank you, Verity." She said to me and I nodded.

"I never should have let you two in here." Calcifer grumbled. "Here's another curse. May all your bacon burn."

"Calcifer's doing what you said," the kid looked at me awed and I puffed out my chest, proud of myself. Sophie asked for a tea kettle and the kid raced to get it, ignoring the fire demon's complaints. Apparently the kid was named Markl. I glanced up as the dial above the door switched to black and a very familiar blonde-haired, red and grey coat-wearing, wizard walked in. "Master Howl, the king's messengers were here." Markl started as the Wizard Howl closed the door and it switched back to Porthaven. "They said you have to report to the palace as both Pendragon and Jenkins."

Sophie looked up at Howl and gasped quietly, glancing to me. I nodded understandingly. It was the same wizard from the day earlier. And here Lettie said he would have eaten our hearts. Sophie quickly went back to cooking the bacon.

"Calcifer?" Howl asked amused. "You're being so obedient."

"Not on purpose. That cat bullied me," Calcifer complained and Howl looked to me with a raised eyebrow then back to Calcifer. "Don't look at me like that," the fire demon snapped.

"Don't worry, he's not crazy." I spoke up, grinning wide when the wizard swiveled his head around surprised. "I'm just a talking cat." His lips twitched as he tried to fight off laughter.

"Not just anybody could bully Calcifer." He complimented me. "And you are... who?" He asked, turning to look at my sister.

"Uh, you can just call me Grandma Sophie. I'm your new cleaning lady. I just started work today." She said nervously. "Verity came with me." She indicated myself and he nodded.

"Give that to me," Howl said, gently sliding into Sophie's place and taking the wooden spoon from her hand. "I assume you want some?" He asked me, smirking when my eyes narrowed and I nodded. "Hand me three more slices of that bacon and eight more of those eggs." He directed and after a moments hesitation, Sophie placed the bacon onto the held-out skillet and handed him the eggs one by one. He fed each of the egg shells to Calcifer once they were empty, and the fire demon happily ate them.

"So, then, who hired you to clean?" Howl suddenly asked as he broke the sixth egg into the skillet. I honestly didn't think it would all fit, but it somehow did.

"Uh, Calcifer did. He's disgusted by how dirty it is in here." Sophie answered as she gave him the final egg. He hummed in response then ordered Markl to get the plates.

"Wait a second, you're all gonna eat while I do all the work?" Calcifer asked irritated.

"Didn't you eat the eggshells?" I asked him and he simmered, quieting down.

"Thank you, Verity." Howl said as Markl told Sophie to eat breakfast with them. I trotted after her, wondering where they would place my food. "Now, I don't think there's a problem with you eating on top of the table." He told me when he saw me pause.

"Thanks." I said with a smile then hopped up as Howl slid a plate over to me after Sophie and Markl received theirs. Markl filled up a cup of tea and placed it in front of me hesitantly. I smiled awkwardly, now uncomfortable with being a cat.

"Which do you want? You can only get one 'cause the rest are dirty." Markl said, holding out two spoons and a fork to Sophie. I chuckled at her distasteful expression.

"Looks like I've got my work cut out for me." She muttered as Howl started handing out bread. I shook my head when he looked at me, then I waited for him to tell us to go ahead and eat before I dug into my food. I winced whenever the eggs splattered on me as my ears flattened on my head. I looked up and saw Howl give at me pitying glance when he saw my dilemma, but I knew he couldn't do anything about it.

"Even the manners are a mess in this house," Sophie told me quietly as Markl dug into his food.

"So, what do you have hidden in your pocket, Sophie?" Howl asked suddenly and I looked at him confused then back to my sister. She paused, letting her egg drop back onto her plate before she sat her spoon down and pulled a folded red card out of her pocket.

"What is this?" She asked confused.

"Give it to me," Howl said and she shrugged, handing it over.

The card sparked as soon as it touched the wizards hand, making me jump, and opened as it fell to the table, disappearing as the same marks on the card appeared on the table with smoke rising from it.

Markl gasped, leaning over to get a better look. "Scorch marks. Howl, can you read them?" He asked the blonde.

"That is ancient sorcery. And quite powerful too." He said.

"It's from the Witch of the Waste?" Markl questioned and I looked at him surprised. How did the kid come to that conclusion?

"'You who swallowed a falling star, oh, heartless man, your heart shall soon belong to me.' That can't be good for the table." Howl said. I glanced at Calcifer to see him a duller shade of orange, like he had paled, and decided to commit the message to memory. The fire demon noticed me looking and regained his color, pretending to zip his mouth closed. My attention was brought back to Howl when he wiped his hand over the marks and it was wiped away, leaving only smoke.

He brought his hand back to his chest and I noticed burn marks on it from removing the scorch mark on the table. "Wow, it's gone." Markl exclaimed, leaning close to see if there were any traces of it left.

"The mark may be gone, but the spell is still there." He said, clutching his coat tighter around him then standing up. "Excuse me, my friends, please continue your meal." He picked up his uneaten meal and carried it over to the fire demon. "Calcifer, move the castle 60 miles to the west," Howl ordered, pouring the food into the demon's mouth before going up the stairs and pausing on them. "And while you're at it, make hot water for my bath."

I smirked at Calcifer's moans and groans as Howl continued up the staircase.

"You're not working for the Witch of the Waste, are you?" Markl asked suspiciously.

"I would never work for that witch! She's the one who..." She exploded and trailed off as she tried to talk about it, mouth clamped shut, not letting her even mouth the words. "I'm actually a..." I winced, knowing she was getting extremely irritated. She sat up straight with her hands in the air then slammed them down on the table, knocking books and food to the floor. I yowled angrily when she almost made a book smash my tail. Markl was smart enough to pick up his plate from the table.

"If I ever get my hands on that witch, I'm going to wring her fat neck!" She yelled. "Finish your breakfast." She growled at the poor kid who was definitely regretting his question, then stuffed her face with her food so she could get to work.

"Sophie Hatter, you will apologize to that poor kid." I snapped at her, narrowing my eyes as she narrowed them back at me. "I'm warning you." I said, lifting up a paw of claws.

"Fine. I apologize," she grumbled to Markl, finishing her food at a slower pace by she was still incensed. I huffed and went back to my food, gobbling up my food as Markl and Calcifer stared at me incredulously, like I had just tamed a vicious dragon, but to them that was probably true.

* * *

**A/N: Wow, Verity's got super powers! Controlling both Calcifer and Sophie in one day!? I'm blown away. YAY! HOWL APPEARED! (Well, now we know it's Howl, I mean.) Sorry, I just love Howl. Howl, Howl, Howl~! Sorry, feeling very energetic mentally, but not physically. I'm soooo sick~! TT-TT You know, this story is really easy to update when you already have everything written. Imagine that. Well, I should be updating sometime next week, so be prepared~! (Yes, I totally sang Scar's song from the Lion King as I wrote that.) Oh, sorry for any mistakes! I try to go back and edit them, but I can't get them all. Okay, my ranting's done. Ja ne!**

**P.S. If someone knows the _Grave of the Fireflies_ movie, I have to watch it with a bunch of people and I'm very emotional normally, so could you tell me if it's worth it to see it anyway. And when I say emotional normally, I mean I cry to Disney movies and I'm in my teens. (Yeah, I'm that pathetic... No offense to anyone else who does too! ...If anyone does... TT-TT)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

Sophie immediately began work as soon as breakfast was over. She put a cloth over her gray braid and another over her nose and mouth, hanging up her shawl and tying her dress so it wouldn't get in her way. "I've had enough of this!" She told me, sweeping the roof angrily before moving back to the floor. "You bugs better run before I bite your heads off!" She hissed as critters ran across the room, also trying to escape my pouncing. "I'm sick of being treated like some timid little old lady!"

I winced as she brushed everything in sight, knocking over piles of jars and book relatively harmlessly on the floor. Markl ran about, inside and outside the castle with the Porthaven door open, trying to save what he could before Sophie got to it. I snickered when I heard him tell a customer to come back later, calling Sophie a witch on a rampage.

She quickly started moping the floor. "Hey, watch it!" I cried out as water got near me. I jumped on the hearth to get away from it, handing Calcifer a large stick I found on the street since I couldn't pick up the logs.

"You need a good washing too." She said disapprovingly, looking at my dirty fur. I would not lick myself, no matter the amount of money you could pay me.

"I'll get one when you finish cleaning Howl's bathroom. I can smell the stenches inside, and I am not stepping one paw into that room without it being spotless." I spoke with my nose stuck up in the air, whiskers twitching. I looked at Calcifer concerned as he grew dimmer, then looked at the wet ground. My fur stood on end just thinking about jumping down. I couldn't help him, so I was left staring at him apologetically as Sophie carried an old sheet and placed it down.

"Sophie! Please help me! I'm going out!" Calcifer said panicked, growing smaller by the second. "Please, get me some firewood, quick! Hey, please help me. Wait, what are you doing?" He asked, gripping the metal stake when my sister picked it up with tongs. I noticed a large object at the bottom of his body, weighting him down, and tilted my head curiously. What on earth could that be? "Don't! I'll fall! You crazy lady with tongs!"

"You'll be fine," Sophie assured.

"I'll fall! Help! Verity, make her get me out of here!" He pleaded weakly.

"Sophie!" I said, glancing at my friend worried before turning back to my sister. Markl was outside sorting out the things Howl and himself needed and what they didn't while Howl was still in the bathroom.

"Don't worry, Verity. I'm just sweeping out the ashes," she explained as Calcifer held on to the stake precariously, rolling about on the edge of the cup as he held on for dear life.

"No, I'm not fine!" He said, coughing as the ashes rose in our faces. "Please! I'm going out! Please. I'm falling." He moaned and I stepped closer, worried but not able to help. I looked back at the floor again and with a gulp, jumped down and sprinted up the stairs, clawing the bathroom door.

"Howl! Calcifer's in trouble!" I yelled, yowling impatiently. The door sprang open with Howl completely dressed with trimmed blonde bangs. I barely spotted his ring glowing a faint red, flickering on and off. I raced back down the stairs with Howl following quickly and led him to the cup, gasping and jumping up on the hearth to peer inside it. Calcifer had fallen in and Sophie was gone, carrying the ashes outside.

Howl calmly picked up the cup and threw two logs onto the grate. He turned the cup over in his hand, revealing a blue flame pulsing around the object that had been weighting Calcifer down.

"What is that?" I asked him, but he ignored me, blowing softly on the pulsing flame until it grew to burn red. He place the fire back in the grate with the logs and made it rise higher. He rubbed my head with his other palm, making me purr.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't torment my friend," Howl told Sophie when she came back in with Markl behind her, and I finally noticed that Howl had a different coat on today. A white coat with purple diamonds, similar to his other coat. He walked towards the stairs as Sophie and Markl shifted out of the way.

"Master Howl, are you going out now?" Markl asked the wizard as Howl closed the door and switched the dial to black.

"Markl, Verity, make sure the cleaning lady doesn't get carried away while I'm gone." He told us with a smile, before opening the door and flying off into a world of darkness and flames. The door slammed behind him and automatically switched back to Porthaven.

"Sophie, what did you do now?" Markl asked and Sophie almost shrugged. I stared at my sister, mouth dropped.

"She almost smothered me! If I die, Howl dies too, I hope you know." Calcifer yelled, and I turned to look at him sharply. Another hint.

"Oh, be quiet. You're all right. Now quit bothering me, I've got a job to do." Sophie said as the fire demon shrank back. I stepped in front of Calcifer protectively., glaring at my sister. She paused surprised then continued to the stairs stone-faced, just as Markl raced in front of her, arms held out as a barrier.

"Wait, you can't come up here!" He cried out.

"Whatever you don't want me to clean, better hide it now." She advised, trying to hide a grin.

"Save my room for last, okay?" Markl gasped, running upstairs panicked.

Sophie chuckled and I looked at Calcifer with a smirk. "These little outbursts seem to be giving me some energy," my sister muttered to herself before continuing up the stairs.

"Are you sure you're all right, Cal?" I asked him concerned and he looked up at me surprised.

"Yeah, I'm fine now, Verity. Thanks for getting Howl." He said with a forced chuckle.

"I wonder why Sophie didn't listen to you. And I don't think she's been picking up on the hints either," I said softly. He nodded with a frown then we both looked up as Sophie called out to the fire demon.

"Are you the one moving the castle?" She asked from wherever she was and we shared confused glances before Calcifer rolled his eyes.

"Of course I am. No one else does any work around here," he said as Sophie appeared at the top of the stairs.

"I am thoroughly impressed!" She gasped with a sparkle in her eyes. "You are a first-class fire demon. I like your spark," she said with a wink before going away again. He sparked and turned a darker red, borderline purple as we both stared at where she had stood wide-eyed.

"She likes my spark! Ha-ha!" He cheered, growing in the grate as I laughed.

"Weren't you just cursing her guts just a few moments ago?" I asked him when he calmed down.

"Weren't you?" He asked with his fire hands on his hips. Markl and Sophie went outside to the Wastes to do laundry, letting me eat inside. A few hours later, Sophie called me upstairs.

"Time for your bath!" She said cheerfully and I yelped as she picked me up by the scruff of my neck, carrying me into Howl's bathroom after asking Markl for some shampoo. I hissed as she dropped me in the filled sink, not wanting to drown her twin in the bathtub. I pouted as she lathered my fur coat, then laughed as she told me about her newest meeting with Turnip-head, who had been stuck upside down in an outer section of the castle.

With my fur shiny and fresh, I laid down on the couch that Sophie had beaten the dust out of earlier as the light faded from the sky. I shifted to the floor, letting Sophie take my place as I decided to sleep on an edge of her soft quilt.

I fluttered my eyes open a few hours later, seeing blue eyes stare down at me surprised. "H-Howl?" I asked confused, moving my arms behind me to push myself to a sitting position on the hard floor, legs stretched out before me. I yawned as he stepped forward carefully and I cocked my head to look up at him puzzled. What was he doing?

"Verity?" He asked, shocked.

"Hm? Goodnight, Howl," I muttered, laying back in bed, never even realizing I had turned into a human then turned back into a cat as soon as my eyes shut. The curtains closed again and I sighed, curling into myself as his footsteps receded.

* * *

**A/N: Again I would like to thank all my viewers and reviewers and favoriters and followers for continuing (or beginning) to read my story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Ooh, Verity's catching Calcifer's slips and she turned human, though only for a moment. Not too bad for a new chapter, huh? **

**Well, see you guys next week. Happy Halloween! (I'm going Trick-or-Treating this year as L from Death Note. I'm gonna have a blast! I've got a pair of handcuffs and everything. Ah, if only I had someone to be Light. TT-TT)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I awoke with a start as Howl turned the bath water on above us. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my paws before standing and stretching my back. Sophie awoke a few moments before me and was getting out of her nightgown as I carefully crawled out from behind the curtain. Howl was mucking up the bathroom again, if my nose had anything to say by it. Sophie was taking us out to Porthaven today to shop for food.

"I don't know why we're doing this, Master Howl hardly eats anything." Markl said with his cloak disguise on again. Well, we couldn't pay for anything, so we had to get _someone_ to come along with us.

"Well, too bad. The rest of us do." I said sharply, ending all discussion. Sophie said good morning to a few people that passed as we made our way into the market, talking about how beautiful the ocean was to Markl. My eye caught a sparkly in a stall a few feet away from the potatoes, where Sophie was practically buying out the store. I wandered away, entranced by the feather, golden bell, and jewel hanging from a stick, obviously made for cats. I stopped in front of it and stared for a minute, then my cat instincts decided it was worth my time and I batted at it, mewing occasionally.

"Aren't you the cutest little thing!" The lady at the stall cooed, picking me and my play item up. "Now who do you belong to?" She asked.

"Verity!" Sophie exclaimed, rushing over the the stall with Markl. My tail twitched but my eyes never moved from the toy.

"Oh, is this your cat?" The lady asked with a smile. "I found her playing with this. Her eyes won't even stray from it. Watch," the woman chuckled, and I would have been offended if my attention wasn't diverted by the sparkly moving from side to side. My paws launched at it, trying to grab it but missing every time. Sophie laughed and told Markl to pay for the toy and also a collar for me, making me glare at my sister. She took me away from the vendor and, since I was small enough, I crawled onto her shoulder to rest for a bit.

"Don't. Say. A. Word," I hissed as soon as we left the lady's stall. Sophie and Markl burst into a round of laughs and I pouted, digging my claws into my sister's shirt to hang on as we moved. I tried not to catch her skin. We stopped at a fish market but they closed when citizens ran by, saying a boat was in the harbor. A destroyed battleship. Just before I could convince Sophie to steal a fish for me, she moved on to get a better look.

The ship was disastrous with men pouring out the sides as smoke filled the air. Sophie stepped back fearfully and I cried out at the sight. "Come on, Sophie, let's get a better look." Markl said.

"No, I've seen all I can take. Let's go home." She told him then froze as she looked to her left. I followed her gazed and silently gasped, seeing the Witch of the Waste's henchmen peering over the crowds as if searching for someone. "The witch's henchmen are here," Sophie whispered to Markl.

"What?" He exclaimed loudly, looking around.

"Quiet down. They're only a few feet away," she told him as he tensed. The henchman soon slinked away. "He's gone," Sophie said, letting go of the side of her hat she had pulled down to hide her face. "I don't understand why no one else seemed to notice him." I came out of my hiding place wrapped around her neck. We all looked up as something whizzed through the air, three bombs exploding in the water all in a row.

"Look up there, Sophie, Verity. It's the enemy's airship!" Markl pointed to the metal plane as papers flew from it while the crowd ran away around us. My back was frozen in an arch as Sophie suddenly tore through the crowds, trying to get back to the castle, as Markl chased after us.

I jumped off her shoulders between the railings as she leaned heavily against the wall at the bottom of the stairs of the castle. She gasped for breath, hand over her heart as I looked on concerned. Markl closed the door after sitting the basket of potatoes down.

"Sophie, are you okay?" He asked before Sophie dragged herself up the stairs, moving to the chair before the fire as I jumped up on the hearth. Calcifer looked at me confused and I shook my head, saying I'd tell him later.

"I just need a glass of water," Sophie told Markl, who quickly volunteered to get it. Howl shrieked from the bathroom upstairs, making everyone jump from the sudden noise. Sophie shot out of her seat as Markl rushed over to see what was going on, full glass in hand. He sobbed, grunting when he bumped into things, and raced down the stairs with his eyes covered. His hair was a bright orange hair and he was dressed in only a short towel. He stopped midway down the stairs to yell at my sister.

"Sophie! You sabotaged me! Look!" He yelled, grabbing his hair and running the rest of the way down to shove his head in her face. "Look what you've done to my hair!" I backed away slowly as Markl cowered behind Sophie. "Look!"

"What a pretty color," Sophie commented with a smile.

"It's hideous! You completely ruined my magic potions in the bathroom!" He yelled.

She stepped back, blinking up at him confused before she grinned nervously. "I just organized things, Howl, nothing's ruined." She stated.

"Wrong! Wrong!" He said, clutching his face sorrowfully. "I specifically ordered you not to get carried away!" He said, tears filling his eyes. I mean, I felt sorry for the guy, but he was taking this to the extreme.

He cried, sinking into the seat Sophie had occupied only seconds ago. "And now I'm repulsive. I can't live like this." He sobbed, bending over until his head was by his knees as his hands covered his face. I slowly crept up and nudged his hand, mewing and wanting his attention.

Sophie gulped and carefully stepped forward, as if walking on bomb-riddled ground. "Come on, it's not that bad." Then the color soon faded to a black, making him look even better. "You should look at it now. This shade is even better." Sophie encouraged.

"She's right Howl," I told him softly, trying to help my sister, but he ignored the both of us.

"I give up. I see no point in living if I can't be beautiful," he said as rumbling overtook the house and the room grew dark, even though Calcifer still shined brightly. Shadows morphed around the room and came through the cracks as I started to back up again, crouching at the very back corner of the hearth fearfully. "Howl, cut it out. Howl, no, stop it. Howl," Calcifer said stooping low.

"He's calling the Spirits of Darkness. I saw him do this once before when a girl dumped him," Markl explained and I rolled my eyes at the typicality. Sophie stepped forward again and reached out to the depressed wizard.

"Now, Howl, you're all right. We'll just dye your hair back again. Ok?" She asked, then gasped and pulled away when she finally touched him, slime trailing from her fingers as he started dripping with it. I cried out shocked as Sophie stepped away horrified, lip quivering.

"Fine! So, you think you've got it bad? I've never once been beautiful in my entire life! My own twin sister is prettier than me!" She yelled than spun on heel and ran to the door. "I've had enough of this place!" She cried, heading out into the pouring rain of the Wastes.

"Sophie!" I yelled after her, leaping down off the hearth and scratching at the door hopelessly. At that moment, I had never wanted to be human more. I gasped loudly when my paws suddenly became hands and I hit my human head on the door handle. I was still in the gray dress I had worn when the Witch changed me, but I had a new edition too: a brown, fluffy tail and cat ears I had felt when I rubbed my head. Without another thought at my change, I raced outside into the rain, wincing every time the rain hit me until I got used to it. Turnip-head stood over her with an umbrella as she cried and I rushed over to capture her in my arms.

"I'm so sorry, Sophie! I had no idea you felt that way!" I sobbed onto her shoulder before cracking a watery grin. "We're twins, so if you think I'm pretty, you are too!" She smiled shakily up at me and apologized for her behavior earlier, which I was quick to forgive. Markl came racing out for Sophie and I, saying Howl was in trouble before dragging us by the hand back to the castle. As soon as I crossed into the castle, I became a cat again. My ears drooped sadly and both Markl and Sophie paused for a moment, then hurried to a slime-drenched Howl. He had his head laying on the hearth and was getting slime everywhere, even close to Calcifer. I jumped up on a clean section of the hearth to stay out of the way.

"Such drama," Sophie said with a small smile as Markl asked if Howl was dead. "No, he's fine. He's just throwing a tantrum. Come on, give me a hand," my sister said, rolling up her drenched sleeves as she walked towards the slime-covered wizard. I chuckled a little as they pushed the chair over to the stairs, almost slipping on the goo, and Sophie pulled Howl's arm around her shoulders to drag him up the stairs. I couldn't hold in my laughter, even though I turned away, as Howl's towel slipped off as she helped him to the bathroom.

I jumped off my perch on the table and raced up the stairs as soon as I heard the bathroom door click shut. "Now I have to mop again." Sophie said with a sigh and her hands on her hips as I roared with laughter again, jumping onto my sister and climbing up her dress to her non-slime-covered shoulder.

Almost an hour later, the floors were clean again and Markl opened the door where I was waiting steadfast outside. A tired, but fully clothed Howl was dragging his feet behind the poor kid. I followed them to Howl's room at the end of the hall, hopping up onto the bed as soon as Markl got the wizard under the covers. I looked around the strange room as Markl left, taking note of all the knickknacks and wizardly items.

I purred as Howl weakly lifted up his hand and ran his fingers through my silky, short fur. I moved from under his hand and went up to his top pillow out of three, nuzzling his black hair. "I like it." I stated, sneezing a bit in the other direction when the perfumes slipped into my nose. He chuckled softly, eyes still closed and with no verbal response. I sighed and crawled onto his stomach, curling up into a ball and trying to fall asleep.

One of my eyes cracked open as Sophie knocked and said she was coming in, carrying a cup of warm milk that instantly caught my attention. "I brought you some warm milk. Want a sip?" She asked him softly, frowning when he shook his head no. "I'll leave it here for you, then. Try to drink it before it gets cold." She glanced at me after sitting the tray on the nightstand, noticing my hungry look. "No, Verity. Not for you. If you want some, go wait downstairs for me to get you some."

I huffed, settling back down on Howl's stomach as Sophie made her way back to the door. "Sophie, wait." Howl called out quietly and my sister stopped with her hand on the doorknob. She then slowly walked back, asking if he wanted some milk. He shook his head again and she sat at a stool beside the bed, stroking my fur as I climbed down onto her lap. One of his handing ornaments starting ringing and shimmering before Howl's eyes snapped open.

"The Witch of the Waste is trying to find my castle," he said. Sophie's eyes widened and she shot a look at me.

"We saw her henchmen in the harbor," she told him with a gasp.

"I am such a big coward, all I do is hide. And all of this magic is just to keep everybody away. I can't stand how scared I am," he admitted, turning his face away from us.

"Sometimes hiding is necessary to survive," I spoke up and he glanced a me before looking away again.

"Howl, why is the Witch of the Waste trying to hunt you down?" Sophie asked suddenly.

"She was once quite beautiful, so I decided to pursue her. Then I realized she wasn't," he told us with a frown. Both Sophie and I sighed at the predictability. "So as usual, I ran away. I can't run much longer, though. I have to report to the palace, as both Pendragon and Jenkins."

"The two invitations you got when we first came to the castle?" I asked him. He nodded once.

"How many aliases do you have, anyway?" Sophie questioned.

"As many as I need to keep my freedom." Howl stated and my sister suggested refusing the invitation. "See that?" He asked us, pointing to a paper held to a dartboard by many pointy objects. "That's the oath I took when I entered the Royal Sorcery Academy. I must report to the palace whenever summoned."

"You know, Howl, I think that you should see the king." Sophie said with a smile.

"What?" Howl and I both asked, looking up at her like she was insane.

"Give him a piece of your mind. Tell him this war is pointless. And you refuse to take part, huh?" She said, straightening in her seat satisfied. Howl sighed loudly and I struggled to hold back my laughter at his expression, especially in serious conversation such as this.

"You obviously don't know what these people are like." He told her.

"But he's our king. He should want to hear what all his citizens have to say."

Howl suddenly gasped, straightening up with a large grin. "I got it! Why don't you go to the palace for me?" He asked, black hair floating around his face.

"Huh?" My sister asked.

"Just say that you're Pendragon's mother, and your son is such a cowardly wizard, he's too afraid to show his face. Maybe then Madame Suliman will finally give up on me." He said, excited now with his blue eyes gleaming.

"Who's Madame Suliman?" Sophie whispered confused and I shrugged as much as a cat could before wheeling on Howl.

"How on earth did you get to that reasoning!? So many things could go wrong with this! If Madame Suliman is a witch, how do you know she won't be able to tell that Sophie isn't your mother!" I yelled but was ignored as Howl dragged himself out of bed and wrapped his blanket around his shoulders, as he was only in a long white shirt. Sophie carried me down the stairs with Howl following behind.

I gasped and leaped down from Sophie's arms, stumbling a bit when I landed on the wood before falling onto my side with a grunt of pain. "Verity!" Sophie exclaimed as everyone rushed to circle me. I struggled to stand but fell back down. My cat orbs widened as I threw my head back, shrieking in pain as it felt like my blood was boiling.

"Uh, you guys might want to get back..." Calcifer suggested from the hearth as Howl stared down at me, watching closely but pulling Sophie and Markl back nonetheless. I screamed as magic poured from me and my body lengthened and humanized painfully, unlike my other transformation.

"What's happening to her?" Markl and Sophie cried out as they watched squirm and scratch at myself from my place on the ground, trying to break out of Howl's grip to get to me.

"She's changing back," Howl said surprised. I breathed deeply as a light coat of sweat covered my body and I stretched out my legs from my fetal position, sitting up slowly unless the pain decided to come back. Howl kneeled down beside me and lightly touched my flicking tail that still remained, accidentally tugging too hard and making me swipe at him with my longer, sharper nails. I groaned when I felt my cat ears twitched, even though when I felt the side of my head, my human ears were there too.

"I never want to do that again." I huffed. Howl chuckled. My tail flicked again and I glared at it, then reached up to cup my extra ears. "I think this is the remaining part of the spell. I can deal with these," I said as I stood, but I would have fallen if Howl hadn't caught me in time. Guess I had to get used to human legs again.

"You can go as my wife then, since you were so worried about Sophie getting caught," Howl said suddenly with a smirk. "We'd just have to hide your cat features."

"What? Go where?" I asked, hoping he wasn't saying what I thought he was saying.

"Why, to the palace of course, my lovely Verity," he purred. Instead of looking seductive like he'd hoped, he ended up looking ridiculous. He was hunched over in his brown blanket and orange house shoes and his black hair was ruffled. I was so used to him with blonde, that it seemed quite strange. I snickered and he playfully glared, knowing fully well what I was thinking.

"Well, someone has to be there to help this hopeless hag," I said teasingly, nudging my sister in her ribs gently.

"Don't you speak to your mother-in-law that way!" She returned with a wink before we burst out in laughter and Howl started to work his magic on us.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah! Verity is back to her human form! There was some drama in this chapter...ooh, and did anyone else squeal when Howl (I almost called him Kaname...I have been reading WAY too much Vampire Knight.) suggested Verity go as his wife? Yes, I still squee, even though I wrote it.**

**Sorry, guys. I had planned (and promised) to post this yesterday, but I had to stay after school for an extra five hours... and I received the first season of Clannad on DVD. Anyone who understands what that anime is like will know that I was too busy crying my heart out to do much of anything last night. (Fu-chan! TT-TT) Well, talk to you again next week. Oh, and thanks for all the favorites, reviews, and follows!**

**(I'm one of the people who check out the favorite stories of the people who favorite/review/follow my stories, so I am having a horrible time trying to read all of them! I still have 8 more author profiles waiting in my email inbox! *cries*...Now 9... *cries more*)**


End file.
